Great Escape
by RikadeRika
Summary: They were all supposed to be fighting a different war, Allies vs. Axis. And yet, as many brave men and even a few women from both sides will soon learn, there exists an evil lurking in the shadows, one that's going to require every fiber of their very being to fight if they want to escape alive. An answer of sorts to Origins's ending. T for language and copious amounts of violence.
1. Praeludium ad Insaniam

_In this new world created from a small girl's selfish wish_

_Let's work together so that the tale doesn't end with everything having to begin again._

_Okay…Edward?_

* * *

_**Chapter 1: Praeludium ad Insaniam**_

* * *

June 2nd, 1942

There was a word for a day like this. That word would be boring.

Officers were constantly telling their troops to keep an eye on the skies and waters; Japan was still years off from being defeated and it had taken a bombing on home territory back in December in order for America to finally stick its foot into the bloody mess.

"BUT WE'VE BEEN HERE OVER A WEEK AND THEY HAVEN'T TRIED ATTACKING US!" One unfortunate private whined to the high heavens. His superior, a major with a puffy mustache and a foul mouth, grabbed him by the sides of his head and held him above the ground.

"NAME AND RANK YOU LITTLE GINGER FUCKER!"

Every muscle on the private stiffened to the point he was a hanging stone. His voice barely squeaked.

"Private Brennan Collins…"

"LOUDER!"

"Private Brennan Collins!"

"Private Collins!" the major barked. "Let me tell you something about the enemy we're facing here, you little shit!"

Quite a few of the other soldiers stopped what they were doing to listen to the major rant and rave about the Japanese, their tactics, and their victories with the words "fuck" and "shit" laced into every sentence. At the end of his speech that went on for well over twenty minutes, the major dropped poor Collins on to his rear and stormed away towards the beach. Collins's mouth was open wide, dumbfounded that the major had held him up for so long.

"Clearly you don't know jack shit about being in the Marines Collins. Number one rule: don't act ignorant in front of Major Pasha."

Collins looked up from his spot on the ground. Two other marines ranked Corporal stood above him; one had curly brown hair and freckles on his cheeks while the other had blonde hair and blue eyes with a rather cocky grin.

"Hey," the blonde one said. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Tank Dempsey and the guy over here is Anthony Hendricks."

* * *

That evening, within the confines of one large tent, Anthony asked a rather silly question.

"Dempsey, why do you always give two flying fucks when someone gets yelled at by Pasha?"

"Anthony," Dempsey wrapped his arm around his friend's neck and waved his hand a little as he talked. "It's been agreed by everyone that Pasha is a dick. He yelled at you, he yelled at baby virgin Monaco…"

"HEY!" Monaco snapped from where he was playing cards with two other men by the last names of Burns and Pitt. Dempsey ignored him.

"…and he most certainly yelled at me after the fiasco with Annabel."

"You ended up with a little mess several months afterward," Anthony laughed. "Joanne's a year and a half now, right?"

"Yeah," Dempsey shoved him away. "Now shuddup before anyone starts giving me grief."

"We still remember that letter Annabel sent with Joanne's first words!"

"Burns, I'll strangle your neck if you don't close that windpipe of yours," Dempsey growled. Burns snickered loudly.

"Ah well, fight for the girls, right?" Anthony laughed. "Kick Axis-ass so you can get home, get hitched, and become a happy family."

"The same will happen to the rest of us. Except Monaco."

"FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!" Monaco stood up abruptly with some particularly nasty venom in his voice. "Why am I the butt of all jokes when it comes to relationships? Just because three girls dumped me doesn't mean-!"

"Shh, keep it down! Major is going to-!" Pitt flinched when he saw a shadow at the tent entrance.

Pasha was standing there, staring at them quietly with bulging eyes.

"Shut the fuck up before I snap all your grimy little necks. Burns, you're on patrol tonight because Clark is down with measles."

Burns let out a loud groan as he got up. Pasha gave him a very painful kick in the rear before following him out.

"…Well, I'm going to bed."

"Yep."

"You guys all suck, you know that?"

"Shut up Monaco."

* * *

Elsewhere in the world, there was a single German soldier alone in the woods. He kept calling out his comrades' names over and over again, but the only response came in the form of his own echoes.

Over and over again, despite his voice was getting hoarse, he kept screaming, begging for help regardless of whether it came in the form of German allies or murderous Russians.

Groaning noises came from all around him. Shadowed figures reeking of rotten flesh approached him.

_Help me…_

_Help me…_

_HELP ME!_

The night was met with screams of agony.


	2. Et Angeli et Daemones

**A/N: How strange that I decided to put the first author's note in the second chapter. * laughs ***

**So, if you made it this far, I would like to welcome you to Great Escape, a COC Zombies fanfiction that, as stated in the summery, is basically an answer to Origins, though it may not seem like that in the beginning.**

**I will admit already; since this is supposed to go hand-in-hand with World War II, there will be some errors which can range from the dates of battles/events to soldiers in various militaries since I am not an expert. I apologize for that in advance.**

**Anything else? No, not really. I would appreciate any advice/constructive criticism, etc. Thanks and enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter 2: Et Angeli et Daemones **_

* * *

_I was told from the start that going to war is the equivalent of diving into hell._

_Yet by diving into hell, I would bring glory to myself, my family, and my people._

_And if I managed to come out alive and the victor, that would be the greatest honor I could ever ask for._

The sound of a grenade going off not fifty feet away from him did little to move Captain Takeo Masaki, though some of the other lower-ranked officers and a good many enlisted soldiers flinched.

The once tranquil beach of this island, one that the Americans planned to capture as to use for a supply route and radio communications base, now had blood splattered across the pure sand, used bullet shells sprinkled among destroyed dunes, and men on both sides yelling, screaming, or in some cases crying.

"Captain," a lower ranked soldier next to Takeo said. A Lance Corporal with brown eyes behind thin square spectacles, he bore strangely feminine features, mostly in regards to his facial structure. "Are we ready to charge?"

"I don't know Kazuto," he said. "What do you think?"

"I detect faint sarcasm in that voice Captain," Kazuto loaded his Arisaka rifle. Takeo looked over his shoulder. All the men behind him looked at him anxiously. A small chuckle escaped him.

"**Tenno Heika Banzai!***"

Simply put, American soldiers that had been closing in on a few beach-side machine gun bunkers were caught off guard when they suddenly came under siege by numerous small squads from Takeo's company.

Kazuto had run off to join his squad; leaving Takeo with a select few men he had hand-picked to remain with him.

"That Kazuto," one man chuckled pulling the trigger on his rifle. "He holds so much respect for you."

"Shiro, that might be the last thing you say," Takeo said flatly. Shiro let out a laugh.

"Fucking Japa-!" a Marine didn't even get to finish his sentence before Takeo silenced him with a bullet. His eyes fell on the shoreline. More of the American's 'friends' were beginning to show up.

"These insolent barbarians can bring ten thousand men to these beaches and I won't stand down," Takeo muttered drawing out his sword. Shiro eyed the blade with amusement before prepping a grenade.

"Always by your side Captain."

* * *

It had been a hollow victory of sorts. The Americans had been driven off, at least for the moment, but the Japanese had lost roughly two-thirds of their troops.

"Was it worth it?" A major quietly asked. The colonel scoffed.

"Anything to prove we are better and demoralize those dogs. All about 'freedom' and 'liberty.' Honestly makes me want to puke."

Among those helping to carry away the wounded and mark the deceased was Kazuto, who had taken off some of his garments due to the heat.

"Your chest is proof enough that you are male," a medic by the name of Ike Tamaguchi smirked. Kazuto rolled his eyes.

"It's not my fault heaven decided at the last second to make me a man. Actually, when we were younger, my twin sister and I switched places for fun. No one could tell us apart."

Ike watched Kazuto look around. He was scanning over the sea of dead bodies that had already begun to stink of decay.

"Who in the name of God thinks this is romantic?"

"Idiots watching from the sidelines," Ike shook his head. "They're not the ones counting the corpses and looking at men who have had half their faces blown off. How many did we lose in our company?"

"So far, half are confirmed dead. Only officer who has come back in one piece is First Lieutenant Shinji Furukawa."

Kazuto let out a heavy exhale. He and Ike made their way down the beach. A few times they stopped to help out a man who was wounded, after which they called in a stretcher and continued onwards.

Eventually, they came to a small trench. Most of the bodies in and around it were Marines, though scattered among them were some Japanese soldiers.

"Shit, I can practically name all of our guys here," Ike ground his teeth together. "Kida, Kishitani, Yumasaki even!"

"I-I'm alive…maybe…"

Ike's eyes fell upon none other than Shiro on the ground. Wounds lay across his torso and arms, and the sight of his eyes almost caused Kazuto to throw up. Ike was by his side in moments.

"Damn. Shiro, if you make it, you're definitely going to be discharged," Ike grimaced. He quickly covered his eyes up.

"I can live with that," Shiro snorted, followed by a loud cough. "Shame I won't be able to see the lights of the _Matsuri_ *back in my hometown."

Kazuto began to look through the other bodies. Most of the Japanese were the most notable men in their company. One of the missing Lieutenants, a skillful machine gunner…

"The Captain!" Kazuto yelled when he came upon a small back room.

"Is he dead?!"

"I don't know! He's not moving!"

"Check for a pulse!"

"Tch, idiot tried to hold off twenty American troops by himself," Shiro turned his head at the sound of more medics arriving. "Suicidal maniac."

"There's a pulse, but it's really faint!"

Ike went into the room with Kazuto and helped him lift up Takeo's limp body. _God, he's in a horrible state._

"Get moving!" the head of medic team ordered as Takeo and Shiro were put on to stretchers. "These men who fought honorably for the glory of Japan deserve to live for another sunrise!"

"You'll be fine Captain," Kazuto said quietly while jogging alongside the other medics. He could've sworn he saw Takeo smile a little bit.

* * *

"And now you know why the Emperor did not want you to return to active military duty. This is the…second time I've seen you like this I believe."

"Mayu, you're not my mother," Takeo snapped in a low voice. Given he was among plenty of other wounded soldiers and it was the middle of the night, he did not want to raise his voice too high. However, the woman sitting at his bedside, one with long black hair framing a mask resembling a white fox, was making it extremely hard. She lifted the mask up and giggled.

"Maybe I wouldn't be here if you hadn't been my 'savior' of sorts. Besides, we're digressing from the topic I came to talk to you about."

"And that is?"

Mayu tapped her mask against her chin. "Well, considering how badly injured you are, I think it would be a bit obsolete to tell you what the Emperor requests…well, I'll tell you anyway."

She carefully leaned and cupped her hand around his ear. "There's been suspicious activity at an island all too close to the mainland. Men from the homeland of our German allies go in, often with bodies in bags, and then come back out. Two squads of our regular soldiers have attempted to investigate; we didn't hear from them again. And the same goes for a few American squads as well, the first one appearing to carry radio equipment."

She looked away for a moment. Footsteps. She looked back at him.

"Your job is, or should I say was, to go in with four to eight handpicked soldiers and find out just what is going on in there."

The footsteps were becoming louder. Takeo spoke through clenched teeth.

"It may take a few months, but I'll do it as soon as I've recovered enough."

"Thanks," Mayu put the mask back over her face and climbed up on to the windowsill. "I'm sure the higher-ups will be pleased to learn this. After all, your father was a good friend of Emperor Taisho himself."

As both a few medics and guards came in, she was gone. Takeo shut his eyes.

"_I have a bad feeling about this_."

* * *

**Tenno Heika Banzai! – The motto of the Imperial Japanese Army. Lit. "Long live the Emperor!"**

**Matsuri – Local festivals in Japan**


End file.
